Nobody Reads This

Gamer, Blogger, Student

James Reynolds

jamesr87[.at.]gmail.com

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Today the news hit about reforms to the welfare system which would involve having people work or do community service to earn their job seekers and other benefits and it’s really easy for me to leap up onto the podium and shake my fingers at all the lazy benefit claimers.

However, in today’s economy how can I do that without brushing the genuinely (and recently) unemployed with the same stick? The important thing to note is those people worked, possibly for ten, twenty or more years and paid their taxes. They paid their taxes so that they COULD look for a job without scrutiny when this time came and would receive enough to eat and get help paying their bills.

Reading the comments page on the BBC I found a few compelling notes in the highest rated bin:

In our row of 6 houses,3 are on benefits,these 3 on benefits can afford to adorn there houses with Xmas lights,the 3 working households cannot,Enough said.

Wobblybob, Hull

It’s stories like that which are pulling the trigger, people like Lizzy and Mark Bardsley (the infamous couple from Wife swap) slum around on benefits never working a day in their life but have an income equivalent to some 3 working lower class households.

People like this are frankly despicable and it makes me want us to have a draft service so we can make use of all the little fuckers she’s popping out and stop her benefits.

i hope my step sister is reading this.she is 37 and has never done a days work in her life due to ‘depression’.if she was made to work for her benefits,just as i have to work for my wages,she would know the true meaning of the word ‘depression’.

andy, dudley/uk

This comment tickled me because it’s so absolutely true. I’m sorry if people are suffering from general illnesses but the vast proportion don’t stop you from working. I’ve been depressed before but it’s not like I threw myself into bed and didn’t move for 6 months.

If you’re depressed, get help, but don’t expect special treatment.

Perhaps the most important – and likely to be discarded – idea in this story is that people who turn down job offers will be penalised and might lose their benefits. Of course, they won’t but they should. I know people who have attended job interviews for stores and turned them down – I’ve nearly been one of them so many times when I was claiming unemployment but instead I got up and went to the interviews and accepted the jobs.

I worked for nearly a year doing night work at my local ASDA – not only was it a well paying job (Some £7-8/hour up to £9-10 I hear) but I thoroughly enjoyed my time there. Now, i’m taking a placement year away from University and working in an Office 150 miles from home.

The feeling of satisfaction knowing i’m earning my cash is enough to make me never want to be unemployed again – Although I wouldn’t mind a bit of extra sleep.

Regards,
JamesR.